DAEL framework: a new adaptive e-learning framework for students with dyslexia

This paper reports on an extensive study conducted on the existing frameworks and relevant theories that lead to a better understanding of the requirements of an e-learning tool for people with dyslexia. The DAEL framework has been developed with respect to four different dimensions: presentation, hypermediality, acceptability and accessibility, and user experience. However, there has been no research on the different types of dyslexia and the dyslexic user’s viewpoint as they affect application design. Therefore, in this paper a framework is proposed which would conform to the standards of acceptability and accessibility for dyslexic students. We hypothesise that an e-learning application, which will adopt itself according to individuals’ dyslexia types, will advantage the dyslexics’ individuals in their learning process

Heuristics for ethical development and use of MOOCs

It is widely acknowledged that technology offers a chance to redefine, or at least change, learning and education for the better. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) can be defined as learning events that are conducted via the Web, which can accommodate large numbers of people, typically ranging from a few hundreds of participants to over a hundred thousand. A classification of MOOCs suggests that there are two general types: xMOOCs and cMOOCs. Different types of MOOCS require different levels of participatory literacy skills, motivation and self-determination. Although it is recognised that MOOCs embody a potentially exciting opportunity to use technology to realize many benefits of universal higher education there are also significant ethical concerns that arise in their development and deployment. In this paper we customize a theoretical framework developed by the US Content Subcommittee of the ImpactCS Steering Committee that specifies traditional moral and ethical concepts, which can be used to cater for the teaching and learning of the social, legal and ethical issues concerning MOOCs. An application of these conventional and generic ethical concepts can help flag issues, amongst others, such as: intellectual and pedagogical integrity; privacy, identity, and anonymity; intellectual property rights and plagiarism; and the digital divide. In the design and utilisation of MOOCs developers, content authors, tutors and participants must be aware of these ethical and moral concepts, as presented in this paper, in order to become more responsible professionals and citizens in general. We propose a set of heuristics for ethical development and deployment of MOOCs

Personalised learning materials based on dyslexia types: ontological approach

In recent years, e-learning systems have played an increasingly important role in higher education and, in particular, in enhancing learning experiences for individuals who have learning difficulties. However, it appears that many of the people involved in the development and implementation of e-learning tools overlook the needs of dyslexic students. As such, these students lack access to the resources on offer to other students and this leads to a disability divide. In order for educational initiatives to be effective, learning experiences need to be tailored to the individual needs of each student and the materials and tools employed should be aligned with the student’s needs, capabilities and learning objectives. The objective of this research was to propose an ontology that will facilitate the development of learning methods and technologies that are aligned with dyslexia types and symptoms. The paper commences with a discussion of domain ontology and examines how learning objectives that take into consideration a student’s capabilities and needs can be matched with appropriate assistive technology in order to deliver effective e-learning experiences and educational resources that can be consistently employed. The ontology employed within this study was developed using Ontology Web Language (OWL), an information processing system that allows applications to handle both the content and the presentation of the information available on the web. Two characteristics were employed within this research to describe each resource: dyslexia type and the features of assistive technologies that were deemed to be most appropriate for educational experiences targeted at each dyslexia type

Toward linking dyslexia types and symptoms to the available assistive technologies

As a result of the widespread, and accelerating, dissemination of digital technologies, there has been a profound effect on how people learn. These effects have been greatly debated over the years. While many educational developers have agree on the effects technologies have brought on educational performance, little attention has been made to the relationship between such technologies effects and individual differences such as individuals who suffer dyslexia. There are readily available Assistive Technologies1 that offer potential to help students with learning difficulties such as dyslexia. This paper will attempt to tease out these technologies and dyslexia types, hence attempt at providing a solution. The focus should not be on correlating one technology to one disability. Instead of identifying different pedagogical needs such as help with reading and writing. Then, trying to meet those needs by looking at the whole range of ways that available

Dyslexia adaptive e-learning system based on multi-layer architecture

The key shortcoming of traditional e-learning systems is that the learning they promote is not adaptive. This paper analyses the e-learning activity of individuals with dyslexia and proposes an innovative design for an e-learning system. This new system is user-centric and interactive based on information about the user’s learning preferences. The proposed system design employs a multi-layer architecture, including a presentation layer, an adaption layer, a learning management system layer, an application server layer and a database layer. The learning management system layer contains all the possible systems that provide resources to support the learning process, hence improving the system’s reusability. The adaption layer provides the system’s adaptive technique functionality, which makes it more intelligent and adaptive – the main objective of this research

The role information literacy in overcoming obstacles to learning and lifelong learning

Literacy is widely recognised as a fundamental human right, which empowers individuals and opens opportunities for social, economic and political integration. Information Literacy can be defined as knowing when and why one might need information, where to find it, and how to evaluate, use and communicate it in an ethical manner. In this paper we argue that Information Literacy can help disadvantaged groups in both the developed and developing worlds improve their opportunities for developing their intellectual potential. We report on case studies and initiatives from the Information Literacy movements that are addressing these hurdles to learning. It will be argued that it is naïve and simplistic to suppose that a solely technological solution will enable the learners to surmount obstacles to learning in order to improve their life chances. What is required is a more holistic approach, which requires the construction of legal, cultural, and economic infrastructures

Towards reducing communication gaps in multicultural and global requirements elicitation

This paper focuses on the collaborative aspects of requirements elicitation, in the context of software, systems and service development. The aim is to identify and understand challenges of requirements elicitation in general and in distributed environments. We focus on human, social, and cultural factors that have an impact on communication in the requirements elicitation process. More specifically we aim to i) unfold potential cultural impediments that hamper the requirements elicitation process; ii) highlight cultural factors that should be taken into account in the requirements elicitation process in order to avoid incomplete and inconsistent requirements; and iii) make recommendations for alleviating the problems. In this paper our first step is to report on the findings of a review of the literature regarding culture in RE. The results suggest that the cultural studies in the field of RE are insufficient and thus more empirical studies are required. Secondly, we look at current solutions that are being adopted to assist in improving the cultural aspect of the requirements elicitation process. In the following step we map the identified communication gaps to the SPI Manifesto Values revealing the manifestations of the problems and finally we prescribe a set of recommendations that could be exercised and fulfilled by actors in the requirements elicitation process in order for them to improve cultural considerations in the RE process. These recommendations address the shortcomings that were identified in the literature review and mapped the Values of the SPI Manifesto. The proposals regard technologies, platforms, methods, and frameworks that are readily available. A requirements elicitation process that adopts one or a number of these proposals can help alleviate the challenges invoked by stakeholders’ cultural diversity in the RE process, thus leading to systems development and deployment that much better reflects the requirements/needs of diverse stakeholders and users

Education and social development current pedagogical trends

The aim of this study is to investigate the role of education on social development in order to understand the dynamic relationship between these two concepts. Current pedagogical trends and their impact on learning and development are analysed. Primary emphasis was placed on raising social responsibility on the part of educators and institutions to raise awareness of the socioeconomic and ethical inequalities issues in the new generations of students. Indications of future work conclude the paper

Towards developing a software process improvement strategy through the application of ethical concepts

Aligning Software Process Improvement with the business and strategic goals of an enterprise is a core factor for process improvement. Achieving success in Software Process Improvement (SPI) has shown to be a problematic challenge for countless organisations. SPI, as a discipline, can be described as a set of use cases, each use case describing the logically related activities that must be undertaken. In addition, each use case is a description of the interactions between itself and the participants, i.e. the Actors. The nature of these interactions more often than not may demand, from the participant, the recognition, and fulfilment, of ethical duties. In this paper we customise a theoretical framework developed by the US Content Subcommittee of the Impact CS Steering Committee that specifies traditional moral and ethical concepts, which can be used to identify the moral issues concerning the Software Process Improvement field. An application of these conventional and generic ethical concepts is made to use cases such as: Determining Business Needs; Conducting Process Improvement Assessment; the Tailoring and Creation of Processes; and Deployment. In doing so a number of ethical issues are highlighted. In the application and utilisation of SPI: business process engineers, software engineering teams, process improvement managers, and so on must be aware of these ethical duties, which have been identified by the application of the moral and ethical concepts, as presented in this paper, in order to become more responsible professionals in general. We propose a set of heuristics for ethical engagement with the SPI discipline proposing that an effective SPI strategy must be underpinned with ethical consideration

Developing effective teams in global multidiscipline engineering and manufacturing organisations

In today’s competitive business environment most activities in global relationships (subsidiaries, outsourcing, joint ventures) are carried out by multi-cultural and multidisciplinary teams which may be collocated or distributed. The members of these teams comprise a variety of experts of diverse cultural, organizational, and professional backgrounds. Within the project lifetime they are connected together with time and money constraints for a specific period of time to accomplish certain distinct objectives. The aims of this paper are to report on findings from an extensive literature review regarding multi-cultural and multidiscipline team work and to provide a basis for discussion and analysis of challenges such teams experience. A case study is carried out in a global multidiscipline engineering organization to identify empirical evidence of potential challenges in projects carried out by multicultural and multidisciplinary collaborative teamwork